1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio signal reproducing apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus for compensating a frequency characteristic of a reproduction audio signal by removing noise from the reproduction signal in a high-frequency region during reproduction of the audio signal and then emphasizing the noise-removed reproduction signal. The present application is based upon Korean Application No. 96-53084, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows the relationship between the levels of a recording signal and a reproduction output signal. When the recording level exceeds a certain value, the linear relationship between the level of the recording signal and the reproduction output signal breaks down, causing the recording level to become saturated. That is, when the level of the recording signal is increased above a certain value, distortion is generated during reproduction. Also, since the level of the recording signal is proportional to the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, when the level of the recording signal is lowered, the S/N ratio is decreased.
FIG. 2 shows a frequency characteristic of an equalizer during recording. As can be seen from the graph, gain increases in proportion to frequency in a high-frequency region over a certain frequency during recording.
Thus, in a conventional method of recording an audio signal, the recording level is increased up to a level where the recording signal is not saturated so that the S/N ratio is increased without distortion of the signal.
In a conventional audio signal reproducing apparatus, even though the high-frequency component is emphasized in an equalizer during recording, the frequency characteristic in the high-frequency region is degraded during reproduction due to a structural problem between the tape and the head. Also, since the noise component included in a signal in the high-frequency region is relatively greater than in its low-frequency region, the S/N ratio is greatly degraded when the high-frequency component is compulsorily emphasized.